Pancreatic carcinoma in fibrocalcific pancreatic diabetes: An eastern India perspective

Fibrocalcific pancreatic diabetes (FCPD) is a rare cause of diabetes (<1%) of uncertain etiology associated with >100-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer. We present 3 patients of FCPD with pancreatic cancer who had long duration of diabetes (19 years, 25 years, and 28 years, respectively), all of whom presented with anorexia, weight loss, and worsened glycemic control. Patient-1 in addition presented with deep venous thrombosis. All the 3 patients had evidence of metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Computerized tomography (CT) abdomen revealed atrophic pancreas, dilated pancreatic ducts, and multiple calculi in the head, body, and tail of pancreas in all of them. Patient-1 had 38 mm × 38 mm × 32 mm mass in the tail of pancreas with multiple target lesions were seen in the right lobe of liver. Patient-2 had a mass in the tail of pancreas (46 × 34 × 31 mm) encasing the celiac plexus and superior mesenteric artery infiltrating the splenic hilum and splenic flexure of colon. Patient-3 also had a mass in the tail of pancreas (33 × 31 × 22 mm), with multiple target lesions in the liver, suggestive of metastasis. All patients had elevated serum CA19-9 (828.8, 179.65, and 232 U/L, respectively; normal <40 U/L). Patients of FCPD with anorexia, weight loss, worsening of glycemic control should be evaluated to rule out pancreatic cancer. Studies are warranted to evaluate CA19-9 as a screening tool for diagnosing pancreatic cancer at an earlier stage in FCPD.